Personal exemption

August 8, 2013

The letter from Fred Spurck in Tuesday's A-T was encouraging, as more and more people are not only waking up but are speaking out.

When most of us look for a provider or services, we generally look at their history and track record and talk to those who have dealt with them in the past. We scrutinize their guarantees and how well they have honored their promises and commitments and weigh their previous successes. We carefully read the contract and even go so far as to have an attorney approve it before we sign to protect us from possible fraud hidden in the "fine print."

Now, let's take a look at universal health care, or if you prefer, the Affordable Care Act, (which is neither universal not affordable) and is commonly referred to as "Obamacare." This was soundly rejected by the people of Ohio, as well as many other states, but governing against the will of the people, as usual, this administration is determined to ram this abomination down the throats of the American people, "for their own good"!

In addition, the very people who seek to impose this law on us are themselves exempt, along with favored unions and businesses that have been granted waivers because it is too expensive or inconvenient! The latest are the congressional staffers seeking a legislative "fix" to exempt them from the mandate and, three weeks ago, representatives of three large labor unions fired off a hard letter to Democratic leaders in Congress, complaining Obamacare would "shatter our hard-earned health care benefits" and create "nightmare scenarios" for their members. The National Treasury Employees Union - the union that includes employees of the Internal Revenue Service - is asking its members to write letters to their congressmen, stating they are "very concerned" about legislative efforts requiring IRS and Treasury employees to enroll in the Obamacare exchanges.

Some Republicans have joined Democrats in efforts to exempt staffers from Obamacare, but not all. Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina recently said Congress should have to live with the same law that everyone else does.

"I have no problem with Congress being under the same guidelines," Burr said. "I think if this is going to be a disaster - which I think it's going to be - we ought to enjoy it together with our constituents."

A spokesperson for the House Ways and Means Committee chaired by Republican Dave Camp of Michigan echoed Sen Burr's sentiment.

"If the Obamacare exchanges are good enough for the hardworking Americans and small businesses the law claims to help," the spokesperson said, "then they should be good enough for the president, vice president, Congress and federal employees."

You might recall at the time this was passed, Vice President Joe Biden was caught on an open mike remarking to President Barack Obama, "This is a big f--ing deal," Those are possibly the truest words our articulate V.P. ever uttered. That is exactly what it is!